Southwoods Farm in Buckingham County is off Route 15, about ten miles south of the Fork Union Military Academy.

The 42-acre farm is owned by Robert and Jeannette Reck, and their son Christopher (shown below with Jeannette) spends time there when he’s not racing at Penn National.

Robert is shown with the two newest Virginia-Certified horses they are stabling — both still officially unnamed. One is by Uncle Lino out of Killin Them Softly and the other is by Uptowncharlybrown… Continue reading →

Virginia-breds Alex Joon and Ready and Rich captured back-to-back races at Churchill Downs December 1st to kick off holiday season in grand fashion.

Alex Joon dominated by 8 1/4 lengths in a $76,000 one mile maiden special weight race on dirt. The 2-year-old Flatter colt was seventh at the half but came back strong to finish in 1:37.36. The winner was bred by Morgan’s Ford Farm and is owned by Zayat Stables. The Steve Asmussen trainee is out of the… Continue reading →

by Frank Vespe | Dec 5, 2019 | Breaking, Business, Regionwide, Top Stories | 0 comments

by Frank Vespe

Tuesday, December 10 brings the 2019 edition of the Fasig-Tipton mixed sale, with the first hip slated to go through the ring at 10:00 a.m.

Featuring the disperal of owner Joseph Besecker’s stock, the catalog offers some some 364 hips, including a big group of horses of racing age added as a supplement after the main book came… Continue reading →

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — Historic horse racing machines, bars, restaurants and even a hotel could be coming to the site of the vacant Sears at Greenbrier Mall.

Seritage Growth Propertiesrevealed their plans in documents recently filed with the City of Chesapeake.

While the former department store could host Hampton Roads’ second Rosie’s Gaming Emporium, a proposed four-story hotel and 23,000 square feet in new restaurant space would have to be built.

The New York-based company was formed in 2015… Continue reading →

On Monday November 25, the Joint Legislative Audit And Review Commission heard a briefing entitled “Gambling In The Commonwealth” presented by The Innovation Group, a consulting company hired to prepare and present the report. The study mandate was to estimate the fiscal and economic impacts of new forms of gaming, to access impacts on existing forms of gaming (lottery, horse race wagering, charitable gaming), to examine current and potential governance, regulatory and administrative structures for additional forms of gaming, and… Continue reading →

The following appeared in Bloodhorse.com and was written by Bob Ehalt. Sadler’s Joy is owned by Woodslane Farm in The Plains, VA and has earned $2,471,360 from 27 career starts.

Rene and Lauren Woolcott operate a comparatively small breeding operation under the banner of Woodslane Farm.

They have only four mares in the United States and two in France.

Yet from humble roots mighty oaks can grow, and the Woolcotts can surely take pride in a certain 6-year-old homebred with… Continue reading →

A total of 248 Virginia-Certified horses have won awards from the residency bonus initiative through the first ten months of 2019 including six who earned the maximum $10,000 bonus. 

Two Certified horses competed in the $100,000 Rosie’s Stakes August 31 at Colonial Downs which was won by Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Four Wheel Drive. Maryland-bred So Street was runner-up, finishing 3 3/4 lengths behind the impressive winner. The 2-year-old Street Magician gelding, bred by Larry Johnson, did pick… Continue reading →

The following appeared in the Danville Register & Bee and was written by John R. Crane. Virginia’s horse racing industry took another big step forward November 5th when voters in Dumfries and Danville approved pari-mutuel betting. This will open the door for another pair of Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums to open. Current Rosie’s sites are in New Kent, Richmond, Vinton and Hampton.

DANVILLE — It looks like Danville will be getting a Rosie’s Gaming Emporium.

City voters decided to take a… Continue reading →

The following article appeared in the Prince William Times and was written by Daniel Berti . Virginia’s horse racing industry took another big step forward November 5th when voters in Dumfries and Danville approved pari-mutuel betting. This will open the door for another pair of Rosie’s Gaming Emporiums to open. Current Rosie’s sites are in New Kent, Richmond, Vinton and Hampton.

Voters in the Town of Dumfries have approved a ballot question that will allow for the opening of a… Continue reading →

Colonial Downs Group Celebrates Six Months of Success

Tax Revenues, Jobs & Player Activity All Exceed Expectations

Richmond, VA – November 4, 2019 – Colonial Downs Group announced today its first six months of financial results since beginning operations on April 18, 2019 in New Kent County. The results also include operations in Vinton, which opened on May 6, 2019 and four months of results in Richmond, which opened on June 29, 2019. Colonial Downs Group is generating additional tax… Continue reading →